


Patty & Matty: a Primer

by abstractconcept



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Colorado Avalanche, M/M, Meta, Non-fic, Primer, for archiving purposes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-28
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1706054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abstractconcept/pseuds/abstractconcept





	1. Chapter 1

First off, a couple of minor disclaimers: I write Roy/Duchene (probably the bulk of it, in fact; I know of only one R/D story outside my own and if you know of others PLZ TELL ME, I will eat them up with a spoon!), because I like their dynamic and it’s fun. I do not tinhat the ship nor believe they are anything but boring heterosexual rich famous talented supergod hockey players in real life. *shrugs* But if you’re going to make up an epic tale of their love, there’s plenty to draw from! Disclaimer the second: I am a total homer and make no secret of it. You may worship your Haseks or your Brodeurs, and you may feel another dude is better, but I die on the hill of the A with the swirl. I will happily admit that Brodeur is a hottie (and I’ve read a great Roy/Brodeur hatesex fic) but I will always think my guys are the best. 

This is going to be in three parts: Patty (or Why Patrick Roy is Awesome and You Should Want More of Him),Matty,(or Why Matt Duchene is Awesome and You Should Want More of Him) and Patty & Matty, Why Their Chemistry is Awesome and You Should Totally Ship It.

So we’ll start with the characters: I say this because they are characters. I mean, in the sense that when you see Patrick Roy go crazy and slam on some glass you have to chuckle and say, “Man, that Roy. What a character.” You can skip straight to their Dynamics (as soon as I have it up) if you like, because I can wax rhapsodic about Patrick Roy for ages. However, if you’re interested in the fact that they are two awesome guys who taste awesome together, you may want to read it all just to see the breakdown of the things that make them awesome. (Also because Roy is entertaining as shit, and that’s a fact.)  
  
LiveJournal Links: [Roy/Duchene Primer Pt I: Patty (or Why Patrick Roy is Awesome & You Should Want More of Him)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/624580.html)  
[Roy/Duchene Primer Pt II: Matty (or Why Matt Duchene is Awesome & You Should Want More of Him)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/624934.html)  
[Roy/Duchene Primer Pt III: Their Dynamic (or why Roy/Duchene is Awesome and You Should Totally Ship It)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/625335.html)  
  


PART 1

** PATTY **

** Patrick Roy—The Facts:  ** To start with the dry wikipedia facts, Patrick Jacques Roy (not pronounced to rhyme with boy, but more like 'wah') is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender and the current head coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League. 

Born: October 5, 1965, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec City, Canada. He is 6 foot 1 and listed at 201, though he’s hitting that age where his weight fluctuates. He has a thick French-Canadian accent and frequently drops the ends off words. He doesn’t verb well. I find it charming.[His heavily-accented English is due to the fact that he was a desultory student in school, and in fact frequently cheated off a friend’s English exams.](http://video.avalanche.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=542526) He was married once and has three children, but is now divorced.

** Patrick Roy—the legend. **

  
His nickname is Saint Patrick, because he works miracles. He is, arguably, the greatest goaltender who ever lived. He was drafted 51st overall in 1984 by the Montreal Canadiens. And right from the start, he was _awesome._ He played one game for the Habs on February 23, 1985, put in net in the third period. They won the game, but afterward he returned to the AHL. He was then the starting goaltender in 1985-1986, his rookie season. _And he took them straight to the Stanley Cup._

_ _ Yes, that’s Baby Saint Roy, a Calder champion and Stanley Cup Winner at the tender age of 20. 

** The Wink **

Winning a cup at that age could make anyone a little cocky, and such was certainly the case with Roy. Both his defenders and his detractors will tell you that the man is made of sass. In the 1993 playoffs Roy and the Habs came up against Gretzky and the Kings. In a tight game two, Roy waggishly told his teammates, "Just get one, because I'm not going to give them any."

He didn’t. 

A vintage Roy moment came in game three, when Roy stoned Luc Robataille and then gave Tomas Sandstrom a brassy wink after one save—a wink immortalized by the television cameras onhand.

Afterwards he said, “I knew Sandstrom was taking lots of shots, but not getting anything. And I knew he wasn’t going to beat me.”

He and the Canadiens went on to win Montreal's most unexpected Stanley Cup, with ten straight overtime victories.

** Le Trade **

Unfortunately, things soured with the Habs. Four games into the 1995-1996 season, the Canadiens hired[ Mario Tremblay](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Tremblay), (a former teammate of Roy’s) as head coach. He had no experience coaching. Moreover, Mario and Patrick had a history, a rather nasty one, including a physical altercation in a coffee shop prior to Mario’s hiring. Roy did not respect Tremblay and made no secret of it, snickering the first time the new coach entered the locker room.  Both men had hot tempers, and neither man was going to back down. The seething animosity between the two finally came to a head on December 2nd, 1995.

The Habs were losing to the Red Wings— _badly._ Habs fans jeered at Roy, mock-cheering when he made an easy save. Roy taunted them in return, pretending to celebrate and salute them.Flying in the face of unspoken hockey etiquette that one should pull the goaltender if he is taking a shelling—to allow him to save face—Tremblay left Roy in the net for _nine goals_ , humiliating the proud Saint Patrick. It was a pivotal moment in NHL history. 

When Tremblay finally took Roy out of the game in the third period, Saint Patrick stormed off the ice, marched directly over to team president Ronald Corey and told him, “This is my last game in Montreal.” 

Roy was suspended the next day, and a trade was quickly arranged. Patrick Roy, star of the Montreal Canadiens and beloved by fans, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche—who as the Quebec Nordiques had once been the Habs’ hated rivals. 

Once again, Roy settled into his new role— _and once again, he backed the Avalanche directly to the Stanley Cup._

The Montreal Canadiens? Have not won a cup since . . . due to the Curse of Patrick Roy. 

As a footnote to this story, Mario Tremblay went into his rookie year as coach of the Habs with a record six wins, the most straight wins to start a coaching career. Last year, Patrick Roy tied the that record—a record Mario Tremblay would likely not have held had it not been for the stellar goaltending of one Patrick Roy.

** Patrick Roy vs. the Rubber Rats **

In 1995, a rat got into the dressing room of the Florida Panthers. Scott Melanby freaked out and killed it with his stick, then scored two goals in the game. They called it a 'rat trick.' From then on, the fans would throw rubber rats onto the ice when the team scored. The Avs faced them in the Stanley Cup finals that year, and in game three, the first period ended with Florida in a 2-1 lead and a lot of rats on the ice. Roy did not especially like having rats thrown at him, but refused to hide in his net as previous goalies had done.

During the intermission, Roy promised his teammates, "No more rats." True to his word, Florida did not get another puck past him.

The Avs came back and the game ended in their favor, 3-2.

After the game, Roy showed his usual dry humor. "Thank God they scored two," Roy said sweetly. "They would have to leave with their rats in their pockets. It would be sad for them."

The Avs swept the series and won their first Stanley Cup.

** The Greatest Hockey Quote of All Time **

By now you are familiar with Patrick Roy’s (dare I say it?) puckish sense of humor. Never one to shy away from the camera or the questions, he always had something to say. 

During game three of the 1996 finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, Jeremy Roenick scored on an unchallenged breakaway to tie the game, which the Hawks won in overtime. 

In game four, Roenick was denied a breakaway goal as Patrick Roy made the save. Feelings ran high as Roenick has been apparently tackled from behind, yet no penalty was called. The Avalanche went on to win in triple overtime. Patrick said that if a penalty had been called, he still would have stopped the shot.

After the game Roenick told the media, "It should have been a penalty shot, there's no doubt about it. I like Patrick's quote that he would've stopped me. I'd just want to know where he was in Game 3, probably getting his jock out of the rafters in the United Center maybe."

Elated, reporters went directly to Patrick to get his take on things. 

Smart Aleck Saint Patrick replied with a [quote which is now famous](http://www.hockeychump.com/2010/03/hockey-chump-hockey-quote_16.html): “I can’t really hear what Jeremy says because I’ve got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears.” 

  
The Avalanche beat the Blackhawks and went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

Jeremy Roenick, however, never won a Stanley Cup. 

** The Fights **

Roy is famous for his temper as well as his talent. 

In Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference Finals, Avalanche right winger Claude Lemieux checked Red Wings center Kris Draper from behind, driving Draper's face into the boards, a dirty hit.

The hit sent Draper out of the game and into the hospital with a broken jaw, shattered cheek and orbital bone, which required reconstructive surgery involving his jaw being wired shut and numerous stitches.

The Avs then went on to eliminate the Wings and win the cup, spawning an epic and bloody rivalry. 

Naturally, the Red Wings wanted revenge. The first four games of the next season went by without incident, but in game number five, Peter Forsberg and Igor Larionov got chippy. Darren McCarty saw his chance and went after Claude Lemieux, who famously turtled (though he later said he was briefly knocked out by the first punch and insensate on the ice). This turned into a massive, bloody brawl. After watching the action for a few moments, Roy left his net to defend his teammate but was intercepted by Shanahan. Adam Foote came to his aid. Wings’ goaltender Mike Vernon then left his net to defend his teammate, and pretty soon he and Roy were going at it. It was the first of many free-for-alls between the two teams. 

  
While Vernon arguably came off better, sending Roy off the ice bleeding from a head wound caused by Vernon’s equipment, Roy would not lose the next fight. 

In 1998, with the score 2-0 and time running out, another brawl erupted. Again, Roy went to the defense of his team, only to see Chris Osgood leave his net as well. Roy gestured to Osgood— _Come here._ Osgood came. [Roy proceeded to pummel Osgood to the screaming joy of the Av’s announcer.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1706054?view_full_work=true#comments)

The Avs would lose the game, but Roy won the fight, leaving the ice with one hand raised in victory.

In 2013, when Roy’s Avalanche faced the Wings again, he faced Chris Osgood once more—for an interview. In a  [ hilariously candid meeting (go to 10:30 to get to the best bit) ](http://youtu.be/6EzegO-WJ5c) , Osgood asked Roy what he was thinking when he came out of his net. In true Roy fashion Patrick replied, “I’m gonna kick the shit out of you.” Osgood replied that he was thinking, “HOLY SHIT.” 

  


** **

****  
The Hardware 

  
I’m just going to copy Wikipedia here;

In 1989, 1990, and 1992 Roy won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender. He won the Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) in 1987, 1988, 1989 (all shared with Brian Hayward), 1992, and 2002. He led the league in shutouts and goals against average twice, was named a First Team All-Star four times, a Second Team All-Star twice, and played in eleven All-Star games. Roy has also won a record three Conn Smythe Trophies as NHL Playoff MVP (1986, 1993, and 2001).Calder Cup – with Sherbrooke Canadiens in 1985. He won four Stanley Cups—two with Montreal and two with Colorado, in 1986, 1993, 1996 and 2001. He won the Trico Goaltending award in 1989 and 1990. As coach, he won the Memorial Cup in 2006 with the Quebec Remparts. 

His jersey number 30 has been retired by the Granby Bisons.His jersey number 33 has been retired by the Colorado Avalanche and the Montreal Canadiens.In 1998, he was ranked number 22 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame 2004. QMJHL Hall of Fame 2004.Hockey Hall of Fame inductee 2006, the first year he was eligible. Was ranked #5 in The Hockey News' The The Top 60 Since 1967 – The Best Players of the Post Expansion Era.

** Records **

Most NHL playoff games played by a goaltender (247) (second most playoff games of all players).

Most NHL playoff wins by a goaltender (151).

First NHL goalie to play 1,000 NHL games (finished with 1,029 games, later passed by Martin Brodeur).

Most Conn Smythe Trophy wins - 3.

** The Junior Hockey Coach **

After retiring in May of 2003, Patrick Roy joined the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as vice president of hockey operations, also becoming owner and general manager. 

Patrick was a controversial coach. In one incident, he urged his son to fight the opposing goaltender, despite the other goaltender’s unwillingness to fight. He was suspended for five games and fined $5,000, while his son was charged with assault. 

He also created controversy when he accused the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's commissioner of pressuring an injured player into participating in a top prospects game.  Basically, his mouth got him into a lot of trouble, earning him $12,000 in fines in one year alone.

And he created controversy in other ways: [his players had the best of everything](http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/halloffame06/columns/story?id=2654455). Televisions, beds on the buses, the latest equipment, top notch food, the works. In one instance, Patrick lured one of the best players to his team with an unconventional tactic: when the boy’s parents balked at letting him play hockey because they wanted him to go to med school, Patrick offered to pay for his entire education if the kid didn’t make the NHL. Once he chartered a plane for the kids rather than have them take the bus. Opposing coaches loathed his largess. (However, if you’re like me, you love the thought of Patrick spoiling his boys silly.) 

** The Return of Roy **

In May of 2013, the Colorado Avalanche announced they had hired Patrick Roy as head coach. You might have considered it a publicity stunt to draw more fans to shore up the dwindling Pepsi Center crowds. I suspected it might be, but I didn’t care. Mr. Mouth was coming back and I knew he would bring a show. 

Hired by President Josh Kroenke and executive Joe Sakic, former teammate and friend, Roy was ready for the challenge and happy to work with his old buddy. "We have different personalities -- I'm more laid back and he's more fiery -- but at the end of the day, we've always agreed on the same things," Sakic said. "When it came to hockey, we were always on the same page."

It might have seemed a dog and pony show at first. 

** The Hulk **

Roy set out to do what he was paid for his first night back: raise a ruckus and win some hockey. 

In his NHL coaching debut on September 18, 2013 against the Ducks, the Avs beat the Ducks 6-1. It would have been a good start, but it wasn’t really up to Roy standards. When Anaheim defensemanBen Lovejoy threw what Patrick Roy perceived as a dirty move (an attempted knee hit) on Roy’s prized rookie, Nathan MacKinnon, Roy used it as an opportunity to show people a few things. 

He barked a bit at the Ducks players. Then Boudreau, displeased that Roy was snapping at his boys, started yelling at Roy. This drew Saint Patrick’s famous temper out and Patrick Roy promptly hulked out, bellowing at Boudreau and slamming the glass petition between them. 

Roy was given 12 minutes in penalties, which included a game misconduct and a bench minor. 

Some viewed this as a return to form, proof that Patrick was too hot-headed to coach at an NHL level. Personally, I ate it up. I’ll copy the blog post I made at the time: 

# I love you, Patrick Roy. I love you so much.

WELCOME BACK. We missed you. Please don't ever leave us again.  
  
I don't care if it's a little too much--this team needs a little too much. I don't care if it's violent. You are what we need--you are passion personified. You ARE the love of the game! [You are the sass and the strut and the sock to the jaw.](http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/patrick-roy-best-moments-ever-052113)[You ARE hockey.](http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2006/07/patrick-roy.html) You are everything I remember about the love of my team--the chest-beating, smooth-skating, eyebrow-raising hockey _monster_! You are the quip and the save and the fearlessness AND I LOVE YOU. Of course, he can't keep up doing that, but I fancy he knows how far to push it. He wanted to get us riled. He wanted to get his team interested. He wanted to get the fans on their feet. He knows exactly what he's doing.  
  
Ladies and gentlemen, PATRICK FUCKING ROY.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxW_n8keVPg>

Accept no substitutes.  
  
You know what I said to Associate the minute he was hired? I said, "Odds on him throwing off his blazer and challenging one of the opposing coaches to a fist fight? [ Probably 50/50, given his record. ](http://www.fiveminutesforfighting.com/2011/02/top-10-goalie-fights-of-all-time.html) "

BTW, he got fined $10,000.00 for that tantrum. That money goes to the NHL Foundation (the National Hockey League’s charitable and community relations organization, and a major component of the League’s youth hockey programming). Which means that on his first regular season night, Patrick Roy fired up his team, won his first game as head coach, gave the fans a hell of a performance, almost gave Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau a heart attack, and handed $10,000 to charity.  
  
This year is gonna be EPIC.

** His First Year **

Anyone who expected Patrick to have regular meltdowns would be disappointed. Roy showed that he really had matured and had what it takes to handle a young NHL team. His players adored him right from the first moment. He set the tone by telling him at the first practice that he was not their coach, he was their partner. He wanted to work with them. By all accounts he was very velvet glove the first season, with no sign of the iron hand he sometimes employed in Juniors. He kept the atmosphere light, the expectations realistic. He never promised a Stanley Cup—he merely promised that his team would have a Stanley Cup attitude. The main thing he brought to the team was, in fact, this attitude, a sort of sunny, upbeat, _Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love Ya Tomorrow_ demeanor that might seem at odds with the prior versions of Roy we’ve known. But Patrick has coached young guys for a while now, and I think he’s come to understand their needs: right now he feels they need a light touch and a lot of encouragement. 

So far, this mindset has been incredibly successful. The team went 6-0 in their first games, tying Tremblay's record for most straight wins as a rookie coach. They went on to produce a remarkable record over the coming months. Under Roy, [Colorado became the first club since the NHL expanded to 21 teams in 1979 to go from the bottom three to top three in a single season. The Avalanche matched a franchise record for wins, recorded the NHL’s best road mark (26-11-4), ranked fourth in the League in goals (250) and did not suffer a regulation loss when leading after two periods (35-0-3).](http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/05/06/patrick-roy-a-finalist-for-the-jack-adams-award/)

He made sure to be more approachable than the Avs’ former coach, more involved. He goes out in the middle of the drills with them. “He explains things to you, how to make things he wants done actually work,” veteran defenseman Jan Hejda said. [“And if you want to ask a question or even suggest something, he listens.”](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1934451-why-patrick-roy-is-a-slam-dunk-for-nhl-coach-of-the-year)

His success comes as no surprise to the people who have played with him. "Patrick was the smartest player I ever coached," his former coach, [Marc Crawford told ESPN.com from Switzerland](http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10623000/patrick-roy-hockey-mind-made-coaching-transition-seamless), where he's coaching first-place Zurich. "He's close to a genius now; he thinks the game as well as I've ever seen. He taught me a lot. We were on the same page in Colorado. He was the most intelligent guy I'd ever seen." 

There are still a lot of adjustments the team will need to make to become true contenders. Defense is still weak. Puck possession is a problem. But Roy coached them through a lot. He helped them understand they needed to play for the whole game, and they overcame a tendency to play well for two periods and lose in the third. He helped them realize that if they were willing to fight, and never quit, they could come from behind and win games even when things seemed dire. They quickly became the Comeback Kids, or the Cardiac Kids, guys who never said die and seemed to thrive on bringing it back from behind to win in overtime. His winning attitude rubbed off on his players, and his cheerful nature was something the team adopted. It was clear that the young team had developed the kind of chemistry that would take them far. 

And it did. In his first year as an NHL coach, Roy led his team to the playoffs. They even won their division, overcoming a strong field and beating out the talented Blues and Blackhawks. Patrick Roy took a team that finished 29th last year to third in the league, an historic turnaround. While the Avs were knocked out of the playoffs, mostly due to injuries, the astounding improvement the team showed has made Patrick Roy a candidate for the Jack Adams Award.

** Patrick Roy is a Hottie **

I’ll tell you something that’s a little embarrassing as an Avs fan: I wasn’t all that into Roy back in the day. I had a HUGE crush on Forsberg, I thought Sakic was hot, and found Krupp to be cute, but Roy was just a great player and entertaining personality. Truth be told, I found him unattractive. 

Now that he’s reached middle age? That man is a stone cold silver fox. He has learned to control his temper, use his charm, and has settled into his swagger. He now has an air of accomplishment and a polish about him that’s frankly very sexy. The grey in his hair suits him like whoa.

  
In addition, he’s achieved an air of authority which I find incredibly hot.  


  
Plus, how could you not love that grin? 

If you are craving more Roy (and I don’t blame you), do a youtube search and it will keep you plenty busy—and entertained. I mean, I didn’t even touch on his amazing saves or a ton of other things. <http://youtu.be/zcaBVf2NzBk>

And also read all about his legacy  [ here ](http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2006/07/patrick-roy.html) and  [ here ](http://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononep200602.shtml) . 

Also, Patrick Roy is a Libra and you can view his chart [here!](http://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?wgid=wgeJwtTssKwjAQ_BpBYSvZmDZo2IMIevOJeE6b0JaSVtqV0L83gqedGeaxse1akqYOZNH0ju7DDFfLY1t1ECAHFIDbIl3cCQ2NilBbBwIe7NfH5L09F1IsD_vzCjRG1KCKXmn4gMQNQiZVLgQIY13Z2-DpX50yaeinOsue8sQvFQ-lHxP67ZmS53f6K3BDlqNpppkyNONE-Dp9AXWXNT4) The fact that someone did Patrick Roy's natal chart and put it online tickles me. You can tell he's a Libra by the dimple. ;D


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

**MATTY (or Why Matt Duchene is Awesome and You Should Want More of Him)**

(NOTE: I am aware that I need to put in some links in places. I will get to that eventually, though you can view everything on LiveJournal for now if you like.)

**The Facts**  
Matthew Duchene is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche. He was selected third overall by Colorado in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Born  January 16, 1991 (age 23), Haliburton, ON, CAN,  Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm), Weight  200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb), Position Centre/Winger, Shoots Left.

 **The Boy**  
The first thing you need to know about Matt Duchene is that he bleeds burgundy and blue, and has done since he could walk. Unlike Patrick, who wasn’t actually sure he’d have a career in hockey, Dutchy wanted to be a hockey player and a member of the Avs since about the day he was born.  
Also? Patrick Roy was one of his heroes. Here’s photographic proof.:  
  
In [ an interview ](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denverpost.com%2Fkiszla%2Fci_24866229%2Fkiszla-avalanches-duchene-thrilled-by-selection-canadian-team&ei=vJ9_U5bhOoKOyAT__IDYCw&usg=AFQjCNEMxkAyRG92Qjq4j281hR-WwMLsNw&sig2=mhficJjI6h7O8hJ1O2jixQ&bvm=bv.67720277,d.aWw) he even says, “I remember crying and my team not winning the Cup at four years old.” He was a die-hard fan by that age. And he had already begun to work toward his dream. [ He learned to skate at four ](http://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/1wgqrx/good_guy_matt_duchene/), and was on his first hockey team at five.

When he was a little older, he even got a chance to work with one of his heroes. I forget his name. Started with a P.  
(2005 Ronald McDonald tournament) <http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=689496>

Now, I appreciate what you’re thinking. Looking at this you’re getting uneasy and thinking you’re getting into some extreme crossgen with a reeeeeeally awkward little kid, but _it doesn’t have to be that way._ He was a pretty dorky kid, I admit, but he grew into himself _nicely_. Stop thinking about itty bitty dinky Dutchy and start thinking of . . . _this. ↓_

 **The Man (and the Draft)**  
This man is an elite center, the star and anchor of the team he idolized, smart as a whip, generous and skilled, and he can more than keep up with Patrick Roy.

How excited was he to go to the Avs?  
  
Yeah, he wasn’t excited at all.

In his draft year in 2009 there was a glut of talent, and it was hard to tell who would be the number one pick. He could have been first or second—but he didn’t _want_ to be drafted first or second. The Avs had the third pick, and you _[can watch him pump his fist as someone else is chosen for number two,](http://youtu.be/NRJ2HWGb_lo)_ because it means he still has a chance to go to his beloved Avalanche. [You can watch more of his draft here, his excitement at being chosen by Colorado.](http://youtu.be/gHMFzbJQ6_w)

  
He has always said that being drafted by the team he loves was one of the best days of his life. He is very passionate about the organization and is candid about how exciting it is to live his dream. In [ one interview ](http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=689496) he noted, “Even before a recent game I was standing in my stall right before warm ups and I saw my name on the stall beside the Avalanche logo. I looked at my jersey and looked around the room. I have to pinch myself and I was like that when I was drafted. Is this real life or am I imagining it? Obviously it becomes reality fairly quick. It's a huge dream come true for me.”

And now he gets to play with his heroes at the helm. 

**The Talent**

DUTCHY IS _FAST_

Here he is jetting past the Preds.  
  
Here he outruns Bergeron and the Bruins.  
He’s also agile as fuck and has great ice vision. He’s become a more complete player under Roy, but he was always a stallion on the ice. [Watch him pass the puck to himself between his own legs.](http://youtu.be/aVTMYEElGpI) From behind. It was a move so wild that [ they put it on a t-shirt ](http://sportschirps.com/detail.php?id=159#.U3-kkiiwezw) to help raise money for charity—“Teach Me How to Dutchy.”  


[Here are some of his best goals](http://youtu.be/pdVY8a-iThw) .  
[He’s just an exciting player. He’s improved under Roy and is still growing as a player; experts don’t believe he’s even hit his ceiling yet.](<a) [He also frequently splits the D](http://youtu.be/oEDXLfSM86M%22).

He’s also become very strong on the puck, able to stay low and hold defensemen off with one arm in a manner startlingly similar to Peter Forsberg. He does not have Forsberg’s size or strength, so I’m not sure how he’s able to do it. But then, I long ago learned that the laws of physics do not apply to Matt Duchene.

 **Matt Duchene is HOT**  
Okay, I admit that in some pictures, he can look a little goofy. And when he gets really excited, sometimes he has a hilariously unfortunate resemblance to Mary Katherine Gallagher.

  
But we can’t all be super model Gabe Landeskog, can we? And most of the time he’s pretty cute. In fact, with those intense eyes, he downright _smoulders._

  
When he gets a good photographer, he does this head tilt thing that will make you crazy in the pants.  


I mean, _damn, son._ Is that a come-hither look or what? I mean, no wonder the puck spends so much time on his stick, if he’s looking at it like that. He’s got very intense eyes.  
  
He also looks like Superman in some pics. :)  


He’s also in the best shape of his career, having gone gluten-free and bulking up a bit.  
  
  
  
And like most hockey players, he do got the booty.  
  
[He's a hunk.](http://youtu.be/UcwUlNktAJ4>I%20am%20especially%20fond%20of%20his%20shoulders,%20which%20you%20can%20linger%20on%20here.</a></span>%0A%20%20<span>He%20looks%20delicious%20in%20red.%20</span>%20<a%20href=)

 

[I really enjoy his tendency to wear skintight shirts in postgame interviews.](http://youtu.be/TI3zZFwL9kk)   
Very sadly, I have not come across any pictures of Matty shirtless. This seems like something of a travesty and also unfair as Gabe Landeskog has proven willing to take off his shirt for any old reason, including pancakes. But I have to admit that there’s nothing wrong with lots of shirtless Gabe Landeskog. I just wish he’d give Dutchy a few tips on proud public nudity. **ETA: Not exactly Gabe Landeskog quality, but hey, he's not wearing a shirt:**

**ETA: THIS IS NOT A DRILL: WE HAVE ACHIEVED SHIRTLESS DUTCHY!**

And in addition to being hot, he’s also capable of being totally adorkable. Double threat!  
It’s an older picture, but he’s not getting less adorable.  
  


**Dutchy Has Spunk**

While Dutchy is considered a finesse player, meant to use his speed and talent to score goals, that doesn’t mean he shies away from the physical stuff. He is well aware of his value to the team and is prudent about not getting needlessly injured, but as a good player he is the focus of a lot of physical crap, and sometimes, well, a man’s just got to stand up for himself.

And if you’re like me and a hockey fight just plain does something for you, you’ll be happy that he’s dropped the gloves.  
  
  
Twice now he’s dropped the gloves with the Blues’ Vladimir Sobotka, who is close to Matt’s own size and strength. He greatly enjoyed the bouts, laughing giddily about it in the locker room afterwards, telling the media how much fun it was and that there were no hard feelings; they mostly did it for fun.  
[Here’s Matt’s first fight](http://youtu.be/1THkXDf7M7Y)!

[And here’s Matt talking about it!](http://youtu.be/Zb-13phRRzk)  
In March of this year he also got into a bit of a beef with Ryan Kesler of the Canucks. “ [ Last four years ](http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777350&page=338) every time I skate behind the net after a whistle he comes and hits me. So I hit him back and he didn’t like it very much. Fifth year in the league and I’m not going to back down. That’s his game, he’s a great hockey player, a great two-way guy with a little bit of an edge to him. But I’m not going to back down. I don’t think you’re going to see us fight anytime soon but I’m certainly not going to give him any ground, or any satisfaction with being able to push me around.” 

Apparently Kesler had been bothering Duchene quite a bit, but after Dutchy hit back he got quite upset and told him he’d fight Dutchy anytime. Jamie McGinn sweetly offered to go in Matt’s place, but Kesler demurred. According to Duchene, “Ginner went at him and there was no more crap, not one word, said from him the rest of the game.”

**The Lord Byron of Hockey**

  
It’s not just the looks, though. For a more detailed analysis of hockey’s Lord Byron, [ read Nadia Archuletta’s article ](http://hockeygrrls.blogspot.com/2013/12/matt-duchene-hockeys-lord-byron.html). It’s an excellent breakdown of Duchene’s Byronic Hero qualities, and in fact is the reason I began writing Roy/Duchene. :)

Sadly, Dutchy didn’t get off to a great start with his beloved Avs. Joe Sacco was head coach and the two did not get on. Sacco felt Duchene lacked defensive responsibility as well as work ethic, and Duchene felt suffocated by Sacco’s style of play. These days he’s open about the unhappiness he felt playing that style. "There were very few people in this (dressing) room who were happy. Our style of play, it wasn't right for this team. We knew it would fail," Duchene said. "That was the hard part. We knew (any) success was going to be short-lived. It was hard to really be excited about it. For myself, it was really hard to look at what we were doing and think it would keep on working. I can honestly say now, it's not like that."

  
Duchene never did manage to adapt to the gritty, two-way hockey Sacco demanded of the team. As a result, Sacco saw him as stubborn and believed he was not a hard worker, and he often put Duchene in the infamous ‘doghouse,’ making the talented centre ride the bench for long stretches, cutting his play time.

For a young, impressionable forward, it was a disastrous formative environment. Duchene can be very willful, but he was not purposely playing badly; he simply could not adjust from run-and-gun to circle-the-wagons. He began to beat himself up. Mentally, he started to crumble. His confidence was shaken. He confessed later that in those days, he could barely look at himself in the mirror. The pressure he was under was immense.

"[My first (couple of years),](http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_24395710/matt-duchene-loves-fast-pace-system-and-personal-style-patrick-roy) if I wasn't scoring or things weren't going well, I would come to practice the next day and I would put so much pressure on myself to score. And then if I didn't, I would get down and it would carry on to the next day," Duchene said. "Now, if I have a slump, I just stay consistent with what works, because it will eventually work.”

  
Duchene eventually hired a sports psychologist to assist him in becoming mentally tougher. In his third season, Dutchy was plagued by injuries and his time with the Avs seemed like it might come to an end. Though he kept his mouth shut at the time, he hated Sacco and his system. When his contract came up, the Avs didn’t seem to have much faith left in him. They offered him a low number. He could have easily walked away to find a system more suited to him, but he took the offer and willingly submitted himself to Sacco again. He loved his team enough to suffer for it, and he wanted another chance to prove he was worth the money.

If he’d had to continue under Sacco, who knows what would have happened? Luckily, the powers that be realized a change was needed and they hired Roy. Roy to the rescue! He quickly earned Dutchy’s confidence and trust, assuring him that he was their partner, not their boss. He listened to his players and used a very light touch. Duchene responded well, having his best season to date and earning a place on Team Canada.

He still has a tendency to overthink things, get stuck in his head, do a little too much, or lose confidence. But even when he is in a slump, he now has the mental maturity to find other ways to help the team, racking up assists by the armload. And he’s learned to let his teammates help shoulder the load.

Dutchy will undoubtedly thrive under the more charismatic Roy, who is especially experienced in drawing the best play from younger competitors. You can see this already in the development of Nathan MacKinnon, the rookie phenom who shot straight to the top of the Calder trophy list. With Roy’s easy-going tutelage, MacKinnon settled his nerves early and began to respond to Roy’s lessons on better defense. By the time the playoffs arrived, Nate had broken one of Wayne Gretzky’s records and showed very little anxiety during the run to the cup, even bobbing his head to the music in the Pepsi Center in game one. It will be interesting to see the kind of player MacKinnon develops into, but it’s safe to say that his confidence and ability to jump into a play without worry come in part from Roy’s light-handed coaching—and I often wonder what kind of miracle worker Dutchy would be had he received the same early NHL environment.

**Good Guy Duchene**

Many teenage NHL stars let it go to their heads and get into trouble with parties and drugs and prostitutes and blackjack and farm animals (who am I kidding? I heard vague things about Kaner 1.0 and pre-Stars Seguin, and then I just started making shit up).  Dutchy did it different. He’s humble and goes out of his way to be kind to others. He’s just an incredibly nice person[ . Here is a story about how he mentored a dying boy ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwFfCdIM3mk) and supported his family. It’s a beautiful story though it will make you cry.

Also, [ he and Cody Hodgson put on a golf tournament for flood relief ](http://nesn.com/2013/08/colorado-avalanche-player-pays-for-zdeno-chara-jersey-for-young-bullied-bruins-fan-in-random-act-of-kindness/) in his hometown of Haliburton, Ontario. They held an auction which included a Zdeno Chara game jersey. Matt discovered that Wayde Greer was there, trying to win the jersey to cheer up his daughter, who was being bullied at school, and who is a big Chara fan. Bids quickly rose too high for the dad, but Matt told him, “Get it for her. I’ve got you covered.” Duchene ended up getting her the jersey for $2,000.

 **Dutchy is Fun**  
  
Sometimes he and Pauly Walnuts [ do the HIMYM bang bang victory dance ](http://youtu.be/ezM089eHYrY) after they score.

**Matt Duchene is Responsible and Intelligent**

Yeah, I’m sure he had his youthful shenanigans and was once considered the most immature guy on the team off the ice—at 20. At 23, he’s suddenly grown up a heck of a lot. During the lockout-shortened season, Matt opted to play in Sweden. Unfortunately, while Duchene took it very seriously, many of his fellow players didn’t seem to be trying their hardest. [ Dutchy took them to task ](http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-daddy/matt-duchene-swedish-elite-league-teammates-t-just-001444041--nhl.html) for their lack of intensity, saying, “This is your _job._ We were getting booed by our own fans; it’s unacceptable. They pay a lot of money to watch us and it’s not fair of us to play so bad.”

  
Matt Duchene also has incredible hockey acumen and can be very well-spoken and insightful. [ Watch Jeremy Roenick interview him here in a prelude to the Olympics ](http://www.sports303.com/2014/02/04/jeremy-roenick-interviews-matt-duchene-then-races-him/).

**Matt Duchene is an Olympic Gold Medal Winner**

One of the things that kept Dutchy going during the Sacco years was a phone call from Brad Pascall, a prominent member of Hockey Canada's management team. Pascall told him, “You’re still on our radar.” This prompted Matty to work harder than ever to get into shape and develop his game such that one day, Team Canada might call on him.  
And they did.

  
Credit Roy in part, because Roy worked one-on-one with Matty in hopes of getting him up to snuff, but make no mistake about it, [ Matty earned it ](http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_24866229/kiszla-avalanches-duchene-thrilled-by-selection-canadian-team#ixzz32VHB3RC0) . He played hard and didn’t get discouraged in the midst of a slump. He improved his two-way game (something Sacco could not get him to achieve) and learned to trust his teammates. Although Team Canada is the toughest roster in the world to crack, Matty gave it his all, becoming a more well-rounded player and improving on all levels. [ Matt was thrilled to make the team ](http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_24866229/kiszla-avalanches-duchene-thrilled-by-selection-canadian-team).

In '98, Duchene was 7 years old, and he awoke with excitement before dawn to watch as Joe Sakic and Wayne Gretzky skated for Canada at the Olympics in Japan.

At age 22, Duchene is full of the wonder that accompanies a childhood fantasy that has become sweet reality.

"This is the biggest day in my career other than being drafted by the Avs, which will probably be the best day of my life until I get married or have kids," Duchene said. "Things have gone so well this season with our team in Colorado. The team helped me get to the Olympics."

His speed and youth probably appealed to Yzerman, who likely chose Duchene just over Martin St. Louis as they are both smaller, faster players (though St. Louis was called when Stamkos could not play). Duchene was the youngest player on the roster.

The Colorado Avalanche had four players in Sochi; Duchene, Paul Stastny, who played for the U.S.A., goaltender Semyon Varlamov for Russia, and Gabe Landeskog, who was an assistant captain for Sweden. Dutchy reportedly chirped Gabe quite a bit going into the games about who would win the gold medal.

Although coach Mike Babcock sat Dutchy and P.K. Subban the first game against Norway, he put Matt in against Austria. Matt played well in Canada’s 6-0 win, though he did not get any points. He was benched again for Finland, but eventually John Tavares was injured and Matt played the rest of the tournament. He used his speed to try to generate offense, but it was often frustrating to watch. On a line with Ducks’ Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, Dutchy often seemed to be the odd man out as the two teammates passed to each other or no one at all, even when it meant making a bad turnover.  
  
Still, Duchene made the most of what he had, winning most of his faceoffs and using his speed to generate offense. And he impressed Babcock as well. "He was hard on the puck, he skated, he has great speed, I thought he gave us energy," Babcock said of Duchene. "I liked him."

And in the end, Team Canada won and Dutchy came home with a gold medal and a winning attitude.  
  
  
  
Duchene knows his experience on the Olympic team will only help him in the future.

**Miscellaneous: Hobbies and Random Facts**

Matt loves fly fishing and country music and long walks on the beach and Coach Roy.  
  
Yes, that is an Avs jacket, because he’s a total homer like me, thank you.

He is a huge fan of Brad Paisley, so much so that he named his dog Paisley. He was a cat guy before Paisley, but he adores his dog.  


He also has a huge mancrush on Sidney Crosby and idolizes him, as many young players do. He has trained with Crosby in the summers.

He believes our team can be another Chicago. He knows our D is weak, but offensively, thinks we should model ourselves after Chicago. He has also said that Chicago is like “[ a big brother team ](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-14/sports/ct-blackhawks-avalanche-gamer-spt-0115-20140115_1_hawks-defenseman-niklas-hjalmarsson-tyson-barrie-hawks-shot) ” to us. As long as we continue to kick big brother around the ice as we did most of last season, I’m okay with that. He is also a Capricorn, if you want to play with that. Hard worker, driven, ambitious, practical, disciplined, competitive as all hell, and quite often they have good leadership qualities. Sounds like Dutchy to me! :) 


	3. Hockey RPF Prime Part III Matty and Patty; Their Dynamic

** OR TWO GREAT TASTES THAT TASTE GREAT TOGETHER **

[Roy/Duchene Primer Pt I: Patty (or Why Patrick Roy is Awesome & You Should Want More of Him)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/624580.html)

[Roy/Duchene Primer Pt II: Matty (or Why Matt Duchene is Awesome & You Should Want More of Him)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/624934.html)

[Roy/Duchene Primer Pt III: Their Dynamic (or why Roy/Duchene is Awesome and You Should Totally Ship It)](http://the-con-cept.livejournal.com/625335.html)

Why do I ship them?   
  
They adore each other. That’s a pretty good start.

For starters, you have a charismatic silver fox who has a ton of swagger and confidence and good humor. He's a larger than life figure known for his great snappy comebacks and for his volcanic temper. Then you have the accolyte, if you would, who worshipped that guy his whole life. You have a young guy with a ton of talent and heart, a guy who never wanted anything in his life more than to be on this team, but who, unfortunately, was treated so poorly by his previous coach that he nearly had a breakdown. Then Roy swooped in and made everything better, told him he would be a partner, not a tyrant, told him he would make the game fun again, that he would bring the magic back.

Now Matt Duchene is playing with the hero he looked up to, on the team he always dreamed about playing for, and he's a star centre in the NHL. _This is the ship where dreams come true!_

Matt’s been crazy about Patrick pretty much all his life and is thrilled to be able to work with him now. ["Growing up,](http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9757216/new-coach-patrick-roy-bringing-fire-back-colorado-avalanche) I can't even begin to express how big of an Avs fan I was. One year, in 1999, they lost to Dallas in the conference finals and I wasn't allowed to stay up to watch the end of the game," Duchene told ESPN.com recently. "I woke up the next morning and my dad had put a piece of paper and taped it to my TV and said, 'Dallas 2, Colorado 1, Sorry, pal.' I started crying. I was bawling my eyes out." The young Duchene was such a Roy fan that he initially wanted to be a goaltender. "My dad said I could be a road hockey goalie but had to play out on the ice," Duchene said. "I think that was a good choice. I had a mask that I had painted like Roy's; I had posters of him in my room. It's pretty cool playing for him now. Sakic, too. It's surreal, really **. The fact I could have a chance to win a Cup with those guys now -- I idolized them growing up. Obviously, it's different now; I don't look at them the same way because I'm older. But I still have that part of me in there** \-- that 5-, 6-year-old Matt is still there. It's pretty cool.'' If you’re into hero-worship and guys with stars in their eyes, this is a juicy pairing.

Obviously Roy wasn’t his coach from the beginning of his NHL career; Dutchy suffered under Sacco for four years first. He’ll be the first to tell you that he could not conform to Sacco’s style of play. Sacco wanted a dump and chase team. He wanted defense. He wanted caution. Matt is a dynamic player, a fast and flashy guy who likes to take risks. Sacco found him stubborn and willful and did his best to break the kid, mostly by benching him. Matt was so damaged by Sacco’s coaching that he hired a sports psychologist to help him mentally recover from mistakes made on the ice. He was a wreck. Google “Matt Duchene Doghouse” and boggle at the results. No wonder the guy developed a complex.

And then came Roy. Roy isn’t so interested  in putting the emphasis on defense; he’s interested in showmanship. He’s interested in offense. He’s interested in putting butts back in the Can. He’s interested in playing an uptempo game that excites the fans. He’s interested in fast and flashy guys who like to take risks.

  
It might not have been love at first sight, but then again, it might have been. Patrick had been Matt’s hero for a long time. He was thrilled by the prospect of working with him. From the beginning, Matt said that Patrick brought a ‘way different feel’ to the team." [Roy's passion and knowledge of the game is so great," Duchene said. "It's going to be really exciting to work with a guy like that."](http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/09/24/avalanche-players-adopting-determined-demeanor-coach-patrick-roy/) And Matt quickly discovered the difference between Roy and Sacco and responded to it. Duchene credited Roy for working with players “constructively” rather than having a doghouse. He also appreciates his fast-paced system.  
  
Long suffering Dutchy got a breath of fresh air from Patrick. Patrick does not play mind games with him or make him feel bad about his play. If there is an isssue, it is dealt with quickly and constructively—they talk about it, Dutchy says, which Sacco did not do, and then it’s over and done and they don’t look back. Don’t look back—it’s been a big part of how Patrick has handled the team this year. [Duchene loves the fast-paced system and personal style of his new Avs coach, Patrick Roy](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDUQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denverpost.com%2Favalanche%2Fci_24395710%2Fmatt-duchene-loves-fast-pace-system-and-personal-style-patrick-roy&ei=6rF_U6GcH8eSqAaJsICQAQ&usg=AFQjCNH_h5b87SfZtdIzRLIb5Lpug35C2w&sig2=YhORMaAmCJL_JJoZJZhr4Q&bvm=bv.67720277,d.b2k). " **The one thing with Patrick is, there's no doghouse**. If you're not doing what you're supposed to do, he's going to bring you in, he's going to sit you down and you're going to correct it constructively and then you're going to move on from there. You don't stay in that doghouse," Duchene said. "It's the first time I can honestly say everyone in this room is excited.” And when Matt had a goal slump last year, there was no doghouse for him. Patrick showed he still had plenty of confidence in him and kept him out there, and when Matt finally broke the slump, the coach [made sure everyone knew it was a non-issue from the beginning.](http://www.dailyfreeman.com/sports/20140208/matt-duchene-scores-twice-helps-colorado-avalanche-beat-new-york-islanders-5-2) “People made a big story of that, but not me,” Roy said. “He had chances every night. It was just a matter of time. And tonight he was resilient. He went to the net, he stayed there, and took advantage of the rebound. And then the second shot was a perfect shot. Right under the bar. It was a beauty.”  
  
It’s all about a good time, and Patrick Roy is very good at giving people a good time. Fun has become the watchword in Colorado’s dressing room. “I think the biggest difference has been the coaching staff,” the fifth-year forward Matt Duchene said. “I think the biggest thing is we have a more relaxed, more fun atmosphere.” Hurt/comfort or teaching Matt to trust after his Sacco ordeal, anyone? 

  
Also,  [Matt has commented on how much more time Roy spends with them](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/matt-duchene-loving-life-with-the-avs/article14744557/), and how he hangs out with them on the ice. “After [playing] Nashville we had a meal after the game, we were all eating and **he was in there with us sitting down on the couch having the same meal, just shooting the breeze and hanging out with us** ,” Duchene said. “Obviously there’s a huge respect level from us to him but it’s pretty cool he feels comfortable to do that with us **. You feel more like a team rather than coaches and players**. That’s really positive for us.” So if you’re more into a pairing of equals, you can play it that way, too. 

Matt was also very excited by Patrick’s hulk-out moment.    
  
"[We got to see some vintage Patrick Roy](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fsports%2Fhockey%2Fnhl%2Favs-matt-duchene-says-roy-s-antics-exciting-for-everybody-1.1895155&ei=MB-GU_XkHsamyATik4HoAg&usg=AFQjCNG28V3jMlvPwSkYvvZUZ78hNgldxg&sig2=ZWc9rR8GK26w7MwMTu3TZg&bvm=bv.67720277,d.aWw) which was pretty exciting for everybody, including myself," Duchene told hosts Rob Pizzo and Cassie Campbell-Pascal. He said the encounter reminded him of Roy’s fights with Vernon and Osgood and left him feeling ‘giddy,’ and that he felt like they’d given the fans some old time hockey. "I felt like a six, seven-year-old again sitting around my TV screen in late spring. It was pretty great."

Roy was telling the team that he was one of them, that he had their back, and the team got the message.    
By the time the next game against the Ducks rolled around,  [they were on a first-name basis](http://www.9news.com/story/sports/nhl/colorado-avalanche/2014/03/14/avs-roy-ducks/6423185/). "Obviously Patty showed he was here to play for us, here to coach for us and have our backs from the very start," Duchene said. Trust had been established. He understands now that Roy is there for him. “ **He didn’t like what was going on and he wasn’t afraid to stand up for us** ,” he noted of the incident in the first game. Roy is _very_ protective of his guys, you know. If someone were to really mess with Matty, would he totally flip his lid and beat the crap out of them? I don’t know, but I want someone to write it. :)

More than anything, Duchene is playing for someone he respects. His blatant hero-worship and nerves around Patrick make for fertile writing material.  “ [You definitely know](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/matt-duchene-loving-life-with-the-avs/article14744557/) who’s watching you every night,” Duchene said of Roy and Sakic. . . “For me, I idolized both those guys growing up. It means a lot to me to put my best foot forward. I’m always looking over my shoulder, trying to be the best I can be.”

He desperately wants to please Patrick, too. [“You know](http://milehighsports.com/2013/09/30/the-lead-matt-duchene-opens-up/), a lot of coaches won’t let on how excited they are about their team, but I think that needs to happen because when a player watches a video and the coach is happy with what they are doing, ...it makes you say, “ **Okay, he’s happy with this; I will keep going and doing it this way and he’ll be happy with me**.” He wants to work hard for Roy, and wants to impress him. He has a strong drive to make him happy. “Patrick is an intense guy and I’ve listened to all of his press conferences – trying to get to know his personality and figure out what he is looking for.” For me, this mindset is deliciously inspiring. I love the idea of a willing and eager Duchene trying to please Patrick in bed. You could spin a hot Master/pet dynamic out of that. There is nothing I dig harder than Roy/Duchene with some praise kink and submission.

  
Roy’s doubtlessly aware of Duchene’s history with Sacco and this has probably informed how he approaches his team. He knows Sacco was not able to draw Dutchy’s best from him. For the most part, Roy has been very gentle with his new team. And if you’re into praise kink or discipline, hey, this is a good pairing for you, because you can bend it either way. Patrick is not, and will not always be Mr. Nice Guy. Duchene has pointed out that, “So far, when we need a kick in the butt, we’ve got it from him. When we deserve praise, we also got that. That’s nice for us, we know what we’re going to get. That’s the way it should be. Everyone has loved him so far.”  
  
Matt is definitely aware that he’s gotten more carrot than stick, but Roy is not afraid to use the stick. It’s just that the punishment is no longer drawn out. In addition, Patrick’s ‘partnership’ with his team allows them to feel comfortable approaching him. [“ **Patrick empowers us** ,” Matt Duchene said . . .  “Sure, he gives us a kick when we need it. But **he knows when we need to be treated with a little bit softer (touch) and brought up instead of put down** , that’s what he does.](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/roy-makes-all-right-moves-1st-year-leading-avs) He’s very good at sensing the feeling in the room. He’s helped us all achieve what we’re capable of achieving.”  


Although Patrick has excellent hockey knowledge, it’s his personal skills that have allowed a good relationship to blossom with the flashy forward. Patrick has certainly buddied up with the boys, but they respect him, too. This respect allows him to effortlessly control his team. And hey, if you’re into D/s and that kind of thing? You can totally make that work here. Where Matty balked at Sacco’s reins, Patrick has him eating out of his hand.  As [one column notes](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1934451-why-patrick-roy-is-a-slam-dunk-for-nhl-coach-of-the-year), “If you go to any Colorado Avalanche practice you’ll quickly be struck by two things, both related to Patrick Roy: one, that there’s no need for a whistle around his neck. The whistle Roy can produce with his lips is an omnipresence of high pitch, and his players so used to it that their ears practically dart upward **like those of dogs to their master**.” C’mon, there’s a lot you could do with that, right?

Patrick also took the time to help Matt get on the Team Canada roster. He spoke with Yzerman before the season, noted what the man was looking for, and offered one-on-one help to Matt to become the type of player his country would want. Unlike Sacco, Roy had total confidence in Dutchy and once they’d worked on his weaknesses, told everyone he’d be very surprised if Matt didn’t make the team. He told everyone that he felt Dutchy deserved a spot on the roster. He said that if he were the coach of Team Canada, he’d obviously want him on his team, and added that his playing was ‘[superb](http://www.chatsports.com/colorado-avalanche/a/Avalanches-Matt-Duchene-tweets-getwell-wish-to-Lightnings-Stamkos-0-8801175).’ Duchene was deeply impressed by how much Roy was willing to give him to see him on the team. [“He showed me how to be a more complete player](http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/08/avalanche-star-matt-duchene-goes-from-haliburton-to-the-sochi-olympics),” Duchene said. “I can’t thank him enough. (Roy told me) Not only will this help our team, not only will these things help you make the Olympic team, they’ll make you a huge part of that team,’” Duchene recalled. “ **Those words floored me. I’ve never had a coach be so individualistic with me before. It seemed one of his goals was to get me on that team too.** **He knew how much I wanted it, how much I wanted to earn it.** … He’s just been such a great teacher for me.”  


And if you like praise kink, this is a great pairing. Patrick tends to talk passionately about his elite centre, how he ‘opens eyes’ in the league, impressing everyone enough to get on Team Canada, and, of course Matt has mentioned several times how he gets the praise he needs when he deserves it. And if you want Matt Duchene praising Patrick Roy, well, he practically does nothing but, so it's easy to see that happening.

> “[@Morty94](https://twitter.com/Morty94): [@Matt9Duchene](https://twitter.com/Matt9Duchene) is the real superman. [#twins](https://twitter.com/hashtag/twins?src=hash) [pic.twitter.com/FOJpuCqvmX](http://t.co/FOJpuCqvmX)” Haha I don't know about that but crazy resemblance eh?
> 
> — Matt Duchene (@Matt9Duchene) [July 31, 2014](https://twitter.com/Matt9Duchene/status/494639472806346752)  
> 

  
They have an interesting dynamic but even more, they have so many things in common, yet so many differences. One of the main differences is age, of course. Matt is in his twenties where Patrick is pushing fifty. They’ll certainly have had different life experiences and different perspectives. One is a coach and one is a player, so there can be a lopsided power dynamic, especially if you are focusing on Roy’s charisma and control and Matty’s devotion. On the other hand, Matt didn’t get where he is today by being a guy you can easily manipulate; he wanted to remain an Av badly enough that he learned to give himself mental calluses to survive the Sacco years, and he’s a competitor right to his core.  
  
Patrick was so successful at such a young age that he became supremely confident, at times even arrogant, yet he was also famously superstitious, jumping over the lines on the ice, putting his kids’ names on his sticks, and talking to his goalposts. He used his superstitions to feel more in control, more focused.  He was also always the sort of guy whose feathers could be ruffled if he wasn’t getting the respect he felt he deserved. Matt was incredibly talented but struggled on a poor team where he was expected to carry the load and found he could not, leaving him frustrated. But he blamed himself more than anyone else, and he is much more humble and grounded than Patrick, and during his years in the doghouse he honed a mental toughness that belies his age.  
  
Matt is gluten-free and is fanatic about using diet and exercise to make his body the tool it needs to be. Patrick sort of did the same thing back in the day . . . at twenty he was more than six feet tall and very wiry, and found himself losing energy between games. He opted to gorge on McDonalds to get his weight up, and he credits them for helping him stay in the game. His nickname in those days, “Casseau,” meant the box McDonald’s French fries came in. These days, Patrick is apt to worry about his waist and talks about looking for ways to lose weight.

They’re also both pretty cute. Patrick is starting to get that silver fox thing going, and Matt is a straight up stud.  
  
Patrick also has a famous temper, which he has seemingly begun to control, whereas Matt rarely exhibits that kind of lack of control—though he is known to chirp his opponents and will give as good as he gets, and is not afraid to fight. Both of them can be pretty fiery and either one of them will drop the gloves if they have to.  
  
They are both incredibly intense and passionate about hockey, devoting their lives to the sport, and they are both insightful and have great depth of knowledge of the game. They are also both altruistic, although Patrick has noted he finds himself shy at charity events and has difficulty figuring out how to talk to people. Matt is gregarious and well spoken. Both like children, like many hockey players, and go out of their way to enrich the lives of youngsters.

They are both known for being very stubborn. Patrick enjoys the media and likes sparring verbally with just about everyone, and goes out of his way to charm and wink and grin at the reporters, basking in the limelight even while he insists it should all be about his players, not him. Matt is straightforward with the media, though generally tactful. Where Patrick can be sullen and even downright bitchy if provoked, Matt strives to be discreet, and sound upbeat whenever possible, and when he is slighted (put on a fourth line or unable to play, etc.) he regularly tweets encouragement to his teammates, a consummate cheerleader.  


  
In the end, the best thing about shipping these guys is that there are so many ways you can spin it: you can have a guy who grew up with stars in his eyes worshipping his hero and a guy who clearly loves attention basking in that. You can have Sacco-inspired hurt/comfort. You can have dirty-bad-wrong fic with Roy taking advantage of his position. You can have two stars who can relate to each other in their mental toughness and winning attitude. You can have a mentorship where the student gradually reaches the level of his teacher. You can have a coach coddling and spoiling his prized player (yum yum yum), or you can have two seriously intense competitors trying to one-up each other. They could be anything from partners who make each other better to a really fucked up pair of guys eager to use each other to get ahead. It’s a pairing with a lot of meat to it, open to interpretation. You can have oodles of fluffy mutual adoration and praise, team-as-family, two guys who never meant for it to happen but suddenly find themselves in bed, or you can have a Dutchy who sets out to seduce a Patrick who knows better but can’t help himself. You can have fic where Patrick is trying so hard to be buddies with his players that he doesn’t even realize he’s crossing a line. Or you can have them actually be buddies and partners, equals in each other’s eyes off the ice. You can utilize Patrick’s penchant for spoiling his team and/or delve into a Master/Pet sort of thing.  


Any way you ship it, they’re two great tastes that taste great together!  


 

 


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